The present invention relates to the recovery of clock signal(s) from a serial input data stream generally and, more particularly, to a method and/or architecture for a reference-less linear clock and data recovery phase-lock loop (PLL).
Referring to FIG. 1 a conventional clock and data recovery circuit 10 implemented in a serial data communication device is shown. The circuit 10 comprises an VCO 12, a divider 14, a frequency difference detector (FDD) 16, a phase detector (PD) 18, a phase-frequency detector (PFD) 20, a multiplexer 22 and a charge pump filter (CPF) 24. The VCO 12 generates a full-rate clock signal (i.e., FULL_RATE) at an output 30. The clock signal FULL_RATE is presented to an input 32 of the divider 14 and to an input 34 of the phase detector 18. The clock signal FULL_RATE is divided (i.e., by an integer N), by the divider 14. The divider 14 presents a divided clock signal (i.e., DIVIDED) at an output 36. The clock signal DIVIDED is presented to an input 38 of the phase-frequency detector 20 and to an input 39 of the frequency difference detector 16.
The phase-frequency detector 20 also has an input 40 that receives a reference clock signal (i.e., REFCLK_IN). The phase-frequency detector 20 compares the clock signal REFCLK_IN and the clock signal DIVIDED. The clock signal REFCLK_IN is presented to an input 42 of the frequency difference detector 16. The phase detector 18 has an input 44 that receives a signal DATA. The signal DATA operates at a full rate. An output 46 of the phase detector 18 is connected to a first input of the multiplexer 22. An output 48 of the phase-frequency detector 20 is connected to a second input of the multiplexer 22. The signals presented at the outputs 46 and 48 are pump-up and pump-down signals.
The multiplexer 22 has an input 50 that receives a control signal LLC. The multiplexer 22 presents a multiplexed signal to an input 52 of the charge pump filter 24. The multiplexer 22 presents the multiplexed signal in response to the signal LLC. The frequency difference detector 16 presents the signal LLC at an output 54 in response to a comparison between the clock signal REFCLK_IN and the clock signal DIVIDED. If the frequency of the signal REFCLK and the signal DIVIDED are within a certain range, the frequency difference detector 16 toggles the signal LLC. The signal LLC controls (i) the xe2x80x9clockingxe2x80x9d of the PLL to the clock REFCLK_IN or (ii) the signal DATA. When the PLL is frequency locked to the clock signal REFCLK_IN, the multiplexer 22 is switched to select the rate of the signal DATA. The closed loop with the phase detector 18 then locks to the rate of the signal DATA and generates a signal RETIMED_DATA and a clock signal RECOVERD_CLK. The circuit 10 requires the implementation of the reference clock signal REFLCK_IN of the frequency difference detector 16.
Referring to FIG. 2, a conventional circuit 60 for performing clock and data recovery in a serial data communication device is shown. FIG. 3 illustrates a timing diagram of the circuit of FIG. 2. The circuit 60 implements an analog phase detector 62 and a digital frequency detector 64. The circuit 60 implements a full-rate clock CLK and corresponding quadrature Q for frequency detection (shown in FIG. 3). The circuit 60 implements dual loop filter design. The output of the phase detector 62 and the output of the frequency detector 64 are added together by the loop filter 66 (i.e., analog summing). The analog phase detector 62 is not robust in the presence of (i) data dependent jitter and/or (ii) missing data transitions. Hence, the circuit 60 provides a low overall jitter tolerance.
The present invention concerns an apparatus comprising a first circuit, a second circuit and a logic circuit. The first circuit may be configured generate a first output signal having a first data rate in response to an input signal having a second data rate and clock signal having the second data rate. The second circuit may be configured to generate a second output signal in response to the input signal and the clock signal. The logic circuit may be configured to generate a clock signal in response to the first output signal and the second output signal.
The objects, features and advantages of the present invention include providing a circuit and/or method that may (i) enable reference-less clock and data recovery, (ii) not require a clock difference detector, (iii) reduce overall circuit die size, (iv) reduce system cost, and/or (v) reduce power consumption.